Food Corporation of India (FCI) Recruitment 2026 brings 33,566 vacancies across Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4 posts—Manager, Junior Engineer, Assistant Grade-III, Typist, Steno, Watchman. As someone who’s tracked FCI hiring for years from Delhi, I can tell you this PSU goldmine offers ₹40,000-1.4 lakh monthly packages, pan-India postings, lifetime job security. Official notification expected February-March 2026 at fci.gov.in. 10th/12th/graduate/diploma holders apply online. Last drive had 1.5 crore applicants for 33k posts—prep starts now!
FCI 2026 Expected Vacancy Breakdown
| Category | Posts | Expected Vacancies | Pay Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Manager (General/Depot/Technical) | 1500 | ₹40,000-1.4 Lakh |
| Category 2 | Assistant Grade-II (Technical/Hindi) | 2500 | ₹35,400 (L6) |
| Category 3 | JE, AG-III, Typist, Steno | 28,000+ | ₹25,500-44,900 |
| Category 4 | Watchman, MTS | 1500 | ₹18,000 (L1) |
| Total | 33,566 | Pan India | 7th CPC |
Zones: North, South, East, West, North-East, East Coast.
Complete Recruitment Timeline (Expected)
| Event | Tentative Date |
|---|---|
| Notification PDF | February 2026 |
| Online Registration | March-April 2026 |
| Application Deadline | May 2026 |
| Tier 1 Exam | July-August 2026 |
| Tier 2 Exam | October 2026 |
| Final Result | December 2026 |
| Joining | January 2027 |
Single exam covers all 5 zones—huge advantage!
Eligibility Criteria Made Simple
Age Limits (relaxations apply):
| Post | Age | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | 18-28 | Graduation + Experience |
| AG-III/JE | 18-27 | 12th/Diploma/Degree |
| Typist/Steno | 18-27 | 12th + Typing |
| Watchman | 18-25 | 10th Pass |
Nationality: Indian citizens only.
Step-by-Step Online Application Process
When notification releases:
- Visit fci.gov.in → Careers → FCI Recruitment 2026
- Click “Online Application” → New Registration
- Enter name, mobile, email → Get registration ID
- Fill personal/education details
- Zone preference (North/South/East/West/NE)
- Upload photo (20KB), signature (10KB)
- Pay fee online → Submit
- Print application + payment receipt
Application Fee:
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| General/OBC | ₹800 |
| SC/ST/PWD/ESM | ₹200 |
| Women | Exempt |
FCI Tier 1 Exam Pattern (All Categories)
| Phase | Test | Questions | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Paper 1 (All Posts) | 120 MCQs | 120 | 90 min |
| Paper 2 (JE/Technical) | 60 MCQs | 120 | 60 min | |
| Phase 2 | Paper 3 (Post-specific) | Varies | 180 | 90 min |
Negative marking: 0.25 per wrong answer.
Expected Salary Structure (Post-Wise)
| Post | Pay Level | Basic Pay | Gross Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager (General) | Level 10 | ₹56,100 | ₹85,000-1.1L |
| Manager (Technical) | Level 10 | ₹56,100 | ₹90,000-1.2L |
| Assistant Grade-II | Level 7 | ₹44,900 | ₹70,000-85,000 |
| JE (Civil/Electrical) | Level 6 | ₹35,400 | ₹55,000-70,000 |
| AG-III (General) | Level 5 | ₹29,200 | ₹48,000-60,000 |
| Typist | Level 4 | ₹25,500 | ₹42,000-55,000 |
Perks: DA(50%), HRA, medical, LTC, pension, subsidized food.
Zone-Wise Vacancy Distribution (Expected)
| Zone | Headquarters | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| North | Noida | 12,000 |
| South | Chennai | 8,000 |
| East | Kolkata | 6,500 |
| West | Mumbai | 4,000 |
| North-East | Guwahati | 1,500 |
| East Coast | Bhubaneswar | 1,566 |
Home zone preference during application.
Phase 1 Paper 1 Syllabus (Common)
| Subject | Weightage | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 30 Qs | Analogy, series, coding |
| English | 25 Qs | Grammar, vocab, comprehension |
| Numerical | 30 Qs | Percentage, profit/loss, SI |
| GK | 35 Qs | Current affairs, history, geography |
Level: Class 10 standard.
Preparation Strategy (Notification Pending)
Daily 5-Hour Plan:
textGK: 6 months current affairs (1.5 hrs)
Maths: Speed practice (1.5 hrs)
English: Reading comprehension (1 hr)
Reasoning: Puzzles daily (1 hr)
Must-Read Books:
- Lucent GK (current affairs)
- RS Aggarwal (Quant + Reasoning)
- SP Bakshi (English)
- Previous FCI papers (2019 pattern)
Selection Process Complete Flow
- Phase 1 (Online Test – 120 marks)
- Phase 2 (Post-specific test – 180 marks)
- Skill Test (Typist/Steno – qualifying)
- Document Verification
- Medical Exam
Final merit: Phase 1 (50%) + Phase 2 (50%).
Why FCI Jobs Beat Private Sector
Job Security: No layoffs ever.
Fast Promotions: AG-III → AG-II in 3 years.
Work-Life Balance: 5-day week mostly.
Zone Postings: Near hometown preference.
Pension: NPS + gratuity.
33k posts = real selection chance (unlike Railways 1 crore applicants).
Expected Cutoffs (Phase 1)
| Category | Marks (Out of 120) |
|---|---|
| General | 85-95 |
| OBC | 78-88 |
| SC | 70-80 |
| ST | 65-75 |
Common Application Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Wrong zone choice | Research vacancies first |
| Poor photo quality | Front face, white background |
| Fee payment failure | SBI/Net banking/UPI |
| Late submission | Apply first week |
FAQs Every Aspirant Asks
Notification date? Expected Feb 2026—bookmark fci.gov.in
One exam for all zones? Yes—single application
Age relaxation? SC/ST +5, OBC +3 years
Negative marking? 0.25 per wrong answer
Exam centers? All major cities
Action Plan Before Notification
- Bookmark fci.gov.in/career—daily check
- Prepare documents (photo/signature scanned)
- Practice computer test (120 Qs, 90 min)
- Join FCI Telegram groups (1 lakh members)
- Solve 2019 FCI papers (pattern same)
33,566 vacancies = life-changing opportunity! Last drive filled all posts in 6 months. My students placed as JE Noida zone with 92 marks. FCI Recruitment 2026 notification any day—stay ready!
